Alternative Variables
by TuderRose
Summary: What if Stiles was right that that is not Theo? How would that change things for season 5? No slash, rated Teen just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**This was an idea that wouldn't leave me alone. What if Stiles was right and Theo wasn't actually Theo.**

 **FYI, Italics means thoughts. Sorry if this is more tell than show. I am hoping of doing more showing then tell in the next chapters. This was just hard to write without the exposition. So, without further ado….enjoy!**

What's in a name? Alex wondered as he crouched in the shadows, watching the figures fighting down below him. If he was really who he would be claiming to be, would there really be any difference? The real Theo and himself were both monsters, in their own way. The only difference was that he had survived, and Theo had not.

That was the one central parameter of Alex's life, survive. Everything else was a variable that either helped or hindered his chances. Theo had been a advantageous variable once, maybe even what could have been called a friend. But he had proven himself to be a psychopathic backstabber who had tried to betray Alex one too many times. Still, maybe he had no cause to judge Theo. He had lived, and Theo had died. He supposed the world was better off without one more monster in it, but that didn't erase the blood from his hands. Hands that he now rubbed together as if trying to wipe the blood from them.

Alex held his hand out to the rain, as if that would help wash it away some of the stain away. He shook his head at his own foolishness and hastily wiped his hand on his somewhat dry jeans, hating the feeling of blood that still clung to it after all of these years. And if the Dread Doctors had their way it would be covered again once more.

He continued to wait in the shadows, a place he was intimately familiar with. The shadows were old friends that never truly left him. He wondered what it said about him that he was more familiar with the dark then with the light of the day. Would he ever belong in the light?

The light, for all of its harshness and revelations that the dark had kept hidden, was also warm and at times gentle. Alex craved that light, and the warmth, as much as he hated it for revealing what he truly was. He knew that monsters like him would never be accepted by those that lived in the light. People like Scott who were not afraid to live in the revealing light of day. Whose goodness only shone brighter, and though they had their faults, yet they did not let the darkness rule them. Rather, they conquered the darkness wherever they went. And they drew others to them with that light. People like Liam, and like Kira. But Scott also drew those like Stiles, Malia, and Lydia. People who were touched by the darkness. People who were almost as familiar with the dark as he himself was. Yet, they had never truly crossed the line. As much as they understood the dark, and were shaped by it, yet they held on to their humanity.

Maybe it was enough that Scott was there for them to. Rather then being totally shaped by the dark, they were instead molded to use that dark for something higher then themselves. Under Scott, and other close influences on their lives, they were able to fight back against the dark. Alex envied them that. Whatever it was that kept them on the side of the light. That allowed them to move freely in it, and be accepted by it.

He knew that for a little while he could walk in the light if he borrowed aspects of the light and cloaked himself with it. Yet, it was never his true form. Like the rest of the monsters he would be banished back into the night that he came from. Warmed for a short length of time, then sentenced back into the cold and unfeeling dark that so readily embraced him. He sometimes felt like that was worse than being banished eternally from the light. He was the tool that could be pulled from the dark to be used, then put back after serving its purpose. He had no illusions that he was more than that to The Dread Doctors.

He shook off his morbid thoughts and watched as Scott got his butt handed to him thanks to The Dread Doctors latest "toy". The guy was effective, he would give the man that. He winced when Scott received a particularly hard swipe of the claws. Just how did Scott manage to survive this long? He asked himself. Maybe it was dumb luck, or maybe it was the pack. The man was smart enough to separate Scott from his pack, he would give him that. Alex rolled his eyes as the Kitsune did her dramatic brandishing of her sword. They were all kids really. Playing at a war that they didn't understand. Not yet at least, but that would change soon enough.

 _Ah, there._ He pounced, enjoying the look of surprise on his prey's face. He supposed that he could have ended it quickly, the guy for all his power was an idiot, and Alex himself was already well experienced in taking life. But, unfortunately, that was not his mission. He slashed and tore with his claws. Disregarding the blood that splattered the pavement. This was the most enjoyment he had had for a while. The Dread Doctors didn't let him off his leash often and this was a straight up fight with a decent opponent. Certainly not a worthy one, but definitely fun. His muscles burned, his nose wrinkled slightly at the tang of blood, and his claws were dripping with warm blood before he allowed himself to be thrown from the fight. The monster in him always relished the adrenaline rush and the sweet taste of blood, but it wouldn't last long. It never did.

Alex watched as the man's claws slid into Scott. He didn't think that the man would be able to take the True Alpha's power if the stories were true, but one never knew. If it worked, great! He would be able to take Scott's power all the faster. If not, no big deal. Just meant the game would go on a little while longer, and that his leash wouldn't be back on for a little longer. This was the closest thing he would have to freedom for a while, and he hated to have to give it up so soon.

He nearly smiled when Scott broke the man's hold and shattered his claws. For the moment there Alex had thought the leash would be back after all. He wasn't complaining that that wasn't the case. He could only hope that the man was smart enough not to return to the Dread Doctors after that. The Doctors were not so forgiving of the mistakes of their experiments, no matter how affective they had been before.

He quickly dismissed any further thoughts on the man.

"You don't remember me do you?" He asked when the pack gathered and looked at him. The blank looks he got back said it all.

"I guess I look a little different from the fourth grade." He said. _Come on Scott, fill in the rest_. Manipulation 101 at its finest. Let the target come up with the idea themselves and they were hooked.

"Theo?" And success. _God, why were people so easy to manipulate_? He made sure to add a touch of flattery to his back story just to ensure a little trust. He got the feeling that with Scott, a little went a long way.

Scott didn't seem convinced. Of course, he would be a certified idiot if he trusted right off the bat.

Stiles was the wild card, the unknown variable. It would be a test of Alex's skill to see if he could convince Stiles of all people. It would certainly not be easy, but then, that's what made life fun.

 **I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Is Alex too much of a whining loser? Should I go on with it, or should I drop it?**


	2. 02 Stiles

**I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, though I would appreciate a few reviews coming my way…hint..hint.**

 **Anyways, all the chapter titles will be the various variables that he will be dealing with. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 02 - Stiles

The day started out pretty good. Alex woke early enough to be able to lie there enjoying the softness of the mattress, the warmth of the sun, and the loud and persistent bird outside his window. Hence his reason for getting up so early. He didn't blame the bird though, it was a rather peaceful way to wake up. No mechanical clicking noises, no stale and damp air, and no harsh concrete surrounding him. He laid there with his arms behind his head, letting his thoughts wonder and listen to the music of nature. _Enjoy it while it lasts._ He thought to himself.

He could hear his "parents" moving around and decided it was time for him to get up and face the day. He groaned but got up anyways, throwing on some clothes, styled his hair, _always be ready to make an impression_ , and headed down the stairs, ignoring the wary looks his "parents" gave him. Continuing to ignore them he ate his breakfast like nothing was wrong. Alex would admit that he was enjoying their fear, just a little. Ok, maybe more than a little. He sometimes wondered how long he would enjoy having to put up with these two. They did provide some entertainment in his life after all.

The ride to school was tense. The woman kept looking at him from the corner of her eyes. He could hear her pulse pounding away a mile a minute, and he could barely refrain from wrinkling his nose at the sour scent of fear. While he did enjoy their fear, this enclosed with the scent and smell was too much. Especially when he would definitely be meeting up with the pack.

"Oh my God! Would you just relax already!" He exploded, causing her to jerk the vehicle in reaction. "Look! As long as you and "dear old Dad" play your parts well nothing is going to happen to you! Ok?"

"Yes!" She said, nodding emphatically.

"Ok then." He said, and looked out the window. Noting that her pulse had yet to calm down.

"You know what, fine, just pull over behind here." He said, gesturing to the side.

She swallowed and quickly did what he said. If he thought her heartbeat was fast before it was nothing compared to now. Any faster and she would be having a heart attack.

He unbuckled and leaned over, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Look at me." He waited till her gaze was caught by his. "Everything is fine, alright." She nodded, again and again. Nearly having a nervous break down at this point. He sighed and nearly rolled his eyes. He did not have time for this crap.

He took his hand off her shoulder and brought both of them up to hold her face in his hands. "Shhh, easy there." He said, calming his voice so that it would be warm and soothing. "Breathe with me, nice and slow. In and out."

He breathed in and out with her until eventually her breathing slowed and her heart followed. "There, that's not so bad is it?" He asked. She shook her head. He quickly looked her over and was satisfied that she was calming down.

"There, that's it. See, you are doing good already." He said, voice silky smooth. Encouraging. Waiting a few moments longer he asked, "all right?"

"Yes." She said, voice slightly hoarse and eyes still tense.

"Good, now can we get to school already?" He asked impatiently, leaning back and buckling his seat belt.

She said nothing but backed the car up and pulled back into the street. The scent of fear still lingered, but nowhere near as overpowering as before.

The rest of the drive was better, and it wasn't too long before they were pulling in front of the school. He got out, giving her one last assessing glance, before giving a friendly smile and a slight wave. He noted that she was happy enough to quickly leave him there. He would have to work with her on that. Wouldn't want for her to give him away so obviously.

Turning he caught sight of Stiles and Malia and gave a friendly smile and a wave, noting the unconvinced look on Stiles face. And this day just keeps getting better and better.

And it got even better when Scott and Stiles cornered him in the locker room. He was expecting something like this, but was hoping that it wasn't this soon. Nevertheless, he was prepared for it, and gave them the terryiffying story of how he was bitten. Alex threw in a little self-depreciation to make it more believable. Making sure to send out the right chemosignals of remembered terror and confusion.

He took a quick sniff and measured the reactions in the room. Scott seemed already well on the way to believing him, but of course Stiles was not. As much as Alex admired Stiles for not trusting him right away, it was also very frustrating.

Of course Stiles would be the one to come up with the question about him not being in the Alpha's pack. He gave the prearranged story of the twins, knowing they would instantly connect with that. He didn't offer any other information or excuse though. The last thing Alex wanted to do was open up a way for Stiles to question him, or counter whatever argument he could present. He said nothing about his steady pulse, or whatever else might legitimize his claim. He knew Scott would be picking up his pulse already, and most likely relay that to Stiles later. Besides, as an accomplished liar as Stiles was, it wouldn't be hard for him to figure that someone else was just as adept at lying. Especially when surrounded by Wereshifters. Anything Alex could claim would only increase Stiles' suspicions. Better to give nothing for Stiles' keen mind to latch onto. Why make it easier for him?

"I don't know what else I can say to convince you." Alex said, letting a hint of his own frustration break through.

Scott shrugged and looked at Stiles. Stiles shook his head, he didn't have anything either.

Alex huffed. "Sorry I couldn't make it easier for you." He said, giving them a rueful smile.

Scott smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm sure that if you really are who you say you are it'll all turn out and you'll be a part of the pack in no time."

"I hope so." Alex said. "Everyone knows that lone wolves don't make it very long on their own, and I have been alone for awhile now. I have the feeling that my good luck isn't going to last very much longer if it keeps going on like this. Especially if what I hear of Beacon Hills is true."

He watched Scott smile at this and Stiles rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that's not true." Scott said reassuringly.

"I make no promises." Stiles said.

Thankfully the bell rang than before he had to reply to that, and Alex nearly made the mistake of breathing a sigh of relief. Thankfully he caught himself in time.

"Well, have to get going. You guys aren't the only ones I have to impress." He said, making sure he was out of earshot to finally release the relieved breath he had been holding. Expecting it to be hard to persuade them was one thing, actually experiencing it was something altogether completely different. Running a frustrated hand through his hair he growled before closing his eyes, breathing deeply, then let it out. Worrying about it now wouldn't do any good. Better just get through the rest of his classes and then focus on the problem.

The problem presented itself shortly after Alex got back home from school. He knew if he was Stiles he would be watching the suspect and catching sight of a familiar jacket only confirmed this. Knowing that someone was watching Alex made sure that everything looked normal. Playing video games for a while. Ok, maybe he enjoyed it so much that he actually played longer than what he intended. Not that anyone would care enough to say anything about that to him. Finally looking at the clock he figured enough time had passed for him to play.

"Hey Mom, I'm going out for a while." He said, not surprised that she didn't even respond. Still, it was nice to pretend for a bit that they were a normal family. Even if it was for the sole benefit of listening ears. He grabbed the keys on the way out, and was off.

Alex made his way to one of the first spots he had went to once he got into town, knowing that Stiles and Scott's beta was following. Honestly, how those two thought they could sneak up on anyone was a mystery. They made more noise than a herd of elephants.

He dismissed them from his thoughts for the moment and thought about the sister of his heart. He didn't know much about Tara, barely knew her for long. Yet, the little time he had known her she had naturally taken on the role of a big sister for him. Memories of laughter and of warm sunshine filled his mind as he neared the bridge, and for a moment he was lost in those memories of a time spent with days in the sun.

He could remember first meeting her in the playground when he had been nothing more then a scrawny kid desperately in need of food. Tara had paid for food right out of her own pocket money, and had spent the next few hours hanging out with him. They had met again the next day, same time and same place, and it quickly became a reacurring event.

That summer had been the happiest of his life and it had devastated him to learn that she had died, and that Theo was the one that had done it. Not only that her own brother had killed her, but that she had died alone and cold tore at him. Alex had watched from the shadows as Tara's precious heart had been placed in her brother's chest and that moment had sealed Theo's fate. Brother experiments they might be, but Theo would always be the one that had taken the light from Alex's life. Alex would never forget, nor would he ever forgive.

He had plunged his hand into Theo's chest and torn out Tara's heart. The method had been brutal, and it was one of the few killings that he had truly taken pleasure from. Alex relished the look of surprise on Theo's face, and enjoyed watching the life drain from his cold eyes until there was nothing left. Afterwards, looking down at the body he had cradled Tara's heart to his chest, uncaring of the blood staining his shirt, and walked away. Leaving the Dread Doctors to dispose of the body themselves he had taken Tara's heart into the woods and found a hill overlooking a beautiful valley. He had buried the heart in the most beautiful spot he could find, where the sun would find it every morning.

Alex had stayed there for a moment longer, eyes closed, hand placed over the small grave, breathing deeply, enjoying the caress of the sun before heading back to the shadows. He didn't look back once, no matter how much he had wanted to.

He allowed the memories to wash over him for a moment as he dropped the flower into the water, the only tribute he could think to give a girl who had brought beauty and wonder into his life. He could swear that he could hear her laughter once more filling the air. For a moment he didn't care who was watching, or what they would think. Sheer, agonizing grief overwhelmed him and he sagged against the railing. A tear trickled down his cheek and landed on the planks of wood below him. His eyes burned and he hastily stood and tried to focus on something else, before remembering his audience.

He wiped his face with his sleeve and turned to look, embarrassed that someone had seen his moment of weakness. Thankfully, no one was there and he allowed himself a moment to shove the memories and sorrow back where they belonged.

Alex tracked Stiles and Liam through the woods. Getting ahead of them quietly barely took any effort and he could barely contain his smirk at Stiles surprised, then nervous face.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked, as if he didn't have a clue. Keeping a friendly smile all the while. This was getting rather tiring. What he really wanted to do was tear them limb from limb for having witnessed his moment of weakness. No more. He couldn't afford to be weak like that again, ever. The cost was too high.

He walked towards them but abruptly stopped at Liam's warning growl. Alex bit back a snarl of his own and instead raised his hands.

"I'm thinking this kid is definitely tougher than he looks." He said, getting his first real look at the True Alpha's first beta. Alex wondered just how much it would take to set him off. Hopefully not much.

"Only when we take him off his leash." Was Stiles' sarcastic response.

 _And people probably think he is so funny._ Alex couldn't help but think.

Maybe if he threw in an event Theo and Stiles had done together might help his case. "We were in Little Legue together why are you so suspicious of me?" _Why don't you trust me Stiles?_ _Come on, give me something to work with here!_

He nearly closed his eyes in frustration when Stiles brought out the two notes. _Still, keep a straight face, try not to kill the man pretending to be his father, and all should be ok._

He admitted the different, what else could he do? All he could try to do was salvage this the best he could with what he had. Remind them of his apparent vulnerability, and what they had that he didn't. Friends. People that actually cared enough about them, and that they cared enough to look out for the people in their lives. The best lies have an element of truth, and this was the most truthful he probably would ever be with them.

Alex knew he didn't have to worry about his heartbeat giving him away when he said, "I know I am in the right place. I'm meant to be here. I'm meant to be a part of this pack!" _Ok, so maybe the last bit might have been a lie. Still, not like they needed to know that part of it._

Nor did they need to know that he followed Liam to the school. Really, sometimes they made it so easy for him. The way the two boys ran away from his wolf form only encouraged him to run after them. _Prey_. Was all the wolf could think about, and Alex had to refrain his instincts to focus on the mission.

He sprinted after them, nails clicking on the floor, enjoying the chase. All to soon, faster than Alex anticipated, Liam turned and roared. Mission accomplished, Alex turned and loped off, glad that this day was finally over and ending on a high note.

Deciding not to go home just yet he headed off to the Preserve to shift, enjoying the burn of shifting bones and muscles and the adrenaline rush that came with it. That never got old, no matter how many times he shifted. Taking a moment longer to feel the pull of the moon he ran back to his clothes. Enjoying the freedom of running with no barriers and no demands. Just him and nature, what more could anyone ask for?

Alex couldn't stay out there long so he headed back home. He knew that he had a few things to take care of. Particularly a father who had not come through with his assigned task.

Reaching the house he ordered a "family meeting" and waited till they were seated before beginning. He made sure that he was behind them, knowing it would only increase their nervousness.

"you were told to practice." He said. _Is this what parents sound like? "_ It was supposed to be indisinguishable from the original _. It was supposed to be perfect"_ He rolled his eyes at the man's weak excuse, not missing his "mom's" remark either. _God, what a pair these two made._ One thing for sure, she seemed to have recovered well from her earlier fear of him. Maybe this would help remind her of just why she still needed an element of fear of him.

 _"_ There is one way a false signature can be explained." He said. "It's not easy to write when you are wearing a cast." He paused long enough to bring up the hammer in his hand. "Is it?"

He enjoyed the look of terror on his "father's" face, as well as the startled look on the woman's. Nor did he miss the relieved look in her eyes that it was not her that would be dealing with this.

The resigned look on the man's face made this moment all the sweeter, and Alex enjoyed signaling with his eyes just where he wanted the man to put his hand. Alex paused long enough to give the woman a warning look, and waited for her to turn away before swinging the hammer down with all of his might.

 **Hope you all have enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Also, I hate just repeating the lines from the show so some of it will be word for word, but others will be my own take on it.**


	3. 03 Chimeras and Parents

**I may have forgotten to do a disclaimer before so here it is. All characters are belonging to whoever does Teen Wolf. I make no profit from this, nor do I ever plan to.**

03 Chimeras and Parents

He was lurking, there was really no other word for it. The day had started out so well. There had been a subtle air of terror in the house that morning. He could practically feel it when he woke up. When he headed down the stairs the air seemed to thicken with even worse terror as they obviously heard his steps. Deciding that last night wasn't enough Alex had decided that they needed to share a breakfast together. Just to make sure that his fake parents now understood just how desperately they needed to fulfill their role.

The clink of dishes was the only sound that filled the air. The fake Mrs. Raeken, Cindy, kept shooting him nervous glances while Mr. Raeken, Mark, didn't even dare to look at him. It might have been tense for them but he found himself enjoying the little power trip. Someone actually feared him an what he could do. It could be rather addicting if he let it continue. He briefly wondered if he should.

Just then Mr. Raeken breathed a sigh of relief and rose in his seat Alex stopped him.

Keeping his gaze on what was left of his breakfast all Alex said was "sit down", and that was enough. He was slightly impressed with the speed the man moved.

"I want you, both of you to look at the table." Their gazes instantly snapped to the surface of the table. It was an ordinary table if you excused the deep gouge there. He took a bite of his toast, chewed, and swallowed calmly. They didn't make a sound the whole time. Didn't even fidget in impatience, which he knew for a man like Mark was impressive. As calmly as ever, Alex said. "I want you to remember last night and what could happen if you fail to do what you are ordered to do. Take a look. A good, long, hard look at the consequences. Know that that gouge could have easily just have been you."

He turned his head and looked directly into his fake father's eyes. Then looked down at the man's completely unmarred, though bandaged hand. "Remember whenever you look at that hand. I know we went over this last night but you need to remember. Your life will depend on it. You had badly sprained it, it is healing now, but still painful. If you forget, and they begin to suspect, then that hammer will be the least of your concern."

Alex got up and cleared the dishes, ignoring the flinch away from him when he deliberately invaded Mark's space to grab the man's dishes. Cindy barely handled his being close to her any better. She didn't flinch away but rather held her breath until he stepped away from the table. He put the dishes in the sink and rinsed them. Finishing with that he went to grab his backpack. Mark and Cindy hadn't even moved from the table, and he knew it was his presence keeping them there

"Yesterday was a slight wrench in the plan that you cannot afford to let happen again. I was lenient, but only this time. Don't think that it will happen again. Too much is at stake for me to let it slide. You get this one chance, that's it. You will not get any more."

He didn't wait for any reply but headed out, hoping that they wouldn't test him anymore. He couldn't afford to be merciful a second time. He just hoped they realized that.

He kept his eyes focused on the road, though his mind was miles away.

"Okay, focus." He said. "Stiles will be there, as suspicious as ever. Can't afford to be sloppy. Everything is normal. Everything is fine."

He breathed in and out in controlled, deep breaths. "Ok, you've done this before. Nothing to worry about. It's only Stiles. How hard can this be?"

He pulled into the parking lot and it almost felt like deja vu, though Stiles was standing with Liam this time and not Malia. Stiles still gave him a glare but Liam gave him a friendly, though nervous, smile and a wave. Alex knew then that he was slowly making progress into the pack. Stiles was still suspicious, but the pack was opening up. Starting with Liam the rest would follow. That is if the plan was still working.

He waited for a moment after they headed into the school. He shook out his arms trying to loosen them, then rolled his neck. "Showtime." He plastered on his friendly, friendly, all American boy smile and headed into the school building.

The day went by pretty normally all things considered. He didn't have to struggle to be a normal teenager eager to be a part of the pack. Nothing suspicious happened. The teachers were normal, and he could just be him. Well, Theo, but it was close enough.

But now back to the reason he was lurking. The Dread Doctor's latest toy was running amok and he was kept out of the loop, not that that was surprising. Still, all he could do for now was wait around for the chance to become useful. That was a major key for survival. Make yourself indispensable to whoever had the power over you. For a large part of his life it had been the Dread Doctors, but now he had to transfer that usefulness over to Scott and the pack.

He watched from corners and shadows as the pack scrambled around, trying to figure out what had happened to Donavan's transport, and his guards. Of course, Alex could tell them, but he really didn't think it was in his best interest to do so. Besides, then he would be missing out on all the entertainment going on in front of him.

 _Case in point_. Alex thought the next day in class as he watched Liam trying to gain Scott's attention. _Oh, if only I had these super senses that could pick up on sounds that no one else could hear!_ _Wait a minute! Come to think of it I do_! Alex filled in, watching Scott gesturing towards his own ears.

Alex stayed behind in the classroom, knowing that there wasn't anything he could do. Besides, if he tried to help too soon they might not appreciate it. It was a delicate balance between being helpful and knowing when your help was not appreciated. He absentmindedly rubbed his arm for a moment before catching himself and focussing on the teacher. It did no good focusing on the past. He needed to focus on the here and now.

After he got back to the house and made his way to his bed he laid there, just staring at the ceiling. _Come on, it's not like they would have needed you._ He thought. _The pack has been doing this for a while now. I'm sure they know what they are doing. It'll be fine._ But the bad feeling wouldn't leave him alone. Not even when he started to drown it out by moving to his desk and attempted to do his homework. Finally, he threw the pencil down in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. _I guess I can go check on them. Besides, if something did happen then and I showed up then it will get them to trust me more. It's a win-win._

Deciding that if the pack was going to be anywhere it would most likely be at the one person would have the closest idea of what was going on, Deaton's. Arriving at Deaton's veterinarian office he nearly whistled in surprise when he saw the state of affairs inside. Tracy's ability as a chimera was truly impressive, add that to a surprise reveal of her nature, and you have one vulnerable pack. If he had wanted to he could have wiped out the heart of the pack here and now. The alpha, the emissary, and the brains of the pack were right in front of him. All it would take was a few broken necks or a swipe of the claws and they would be gone. Leaving a hole for other supernatural creatures to try to fill. It would be a bloodbath, especially if he was nice enough to release Peter Hale from his current place of residence.

But he knew, as easy as it could be right now it would not be the smart thing to do. Alex was under no illusion that he would be the one coming out on top in that scenario. He was a cheap knockoff of the real thing, and the real thing had power if they truly knew how to use it. Scott kept himself and his pack restrained. A new and unknown player might not play by the same rules. Besides, there was still the issue with the Dread Doctors. He would need to take care of them before even thinking of attempting to take over a place like Beacon Hills. Not that he would though. A place like Beacon Hills would naturally draw the supernatural to it, and he wasn't interested or invested in the place enough to want to take on that responsibility. Now, if he had a powerful pack under him that might be a different story, but for now, he needed to focus on the plan. Helping the Dread Doctors get what they wanted, while at the same time also helping Scott get what he wanted. Really, it was enough to give him a headache.

He took care of Scott first, figuring that as the alpha he was the most important. Moving on from him he went to help Stiles. He might have taken a bit more pleasure than he should have helping Stiles up, knowing it would drive the younger teen crazy. Next, he helped Deaton, though he was wary of the man. Emissaries were something to watch out for, and the man's penetrating and assessing gaze unnerved Alex. And he was even more wary of what he could be revealing to the man unawares.

He tried to offer his help, hoping that would distract the Emissary by giving him something else to think on.

"I can help!" Alex said. He really did want to help them. Helping them was good. It meant you were fulfilling the role needed. It meant that you were safe for the time being. You were valuable to them, and the longer he was valuable to them the better for himself. "It doesn't mean that I am a part of the pack like you have accepted me or anything like that." Alex held his breath waiting for them to decide, then saw that they still weren't convinced. "Just means I can help catch this girl." As a final measure, he appealed to Scott, knowing that he couldn't do anything else to persuade them. The ball was in their court. All he could do was wait for their decision. For once, luck seemed to be on his side, and he let out a silent breath of relief when they finally agreed to accept his offer. Though glancing to the side he was startled to notice the emissary was still watching him. Alex kept his face calm, hoping that he hadn't given anything away inadvertently.

The Emissary said nothing, merely continued to keep looking at Alex with his assessing gaze. Try as he might, Alex could not hold the man's gaze and he looked back at Scott. Hoping that Scott would make his decision soon and Alex could get away from Deaton. The sooner the better.

Of course, fate said otherwise and he found himself with a passenger on the ride to the police department. Deaton was still recovering from the venom, and though he didn't say it Alex could see that he really didn't want to ride in that hunk of junk masquerading as a jeep. So, when Scott asked Alex to take the man to the police department it wasn't like he could say anything against the veterinarian riding along with him.

The atmosphere inside the truck was oppressive, or maybe that was all Alex. He knew better than to make a novice mistake of giving himself away by constantly looking at the Emissary, though he did occasionally out of the corner of his eye. He thought he was doing pretty well handling the situation. That is until the man spoke.

"So you're Theo." Deaton's voice was soft and even but Alex still couldn't stop his hands tightening on the wheel from surprise. He was just thankful that he didn't jerk the wheel like he instinctively wanted to, though he didn't think that Deaton had missed even that small reaction.

"Um..." He cleared his throat. "Yeah, um...that's me." _Darn, real smooth there Alex_!

"Interesting."

Alex waited for him to say more but the man only continued to stare out the window. "Ok, what's interesting?"

"Nothing much, only that after hearing so much about the controversial Theo Raeken that it is finally nice to meet him face to face."

"Oh." He couldn't stop himself from asking. "Am I everything you've heard of?"

"I would say a great deal, and yet, something altogether different." Was the man's enigmatic response.

Alex was glad that at that moment they pulled up into the police parking lot. He might have sighed a breath of relief, and at this point, he didn't care who was paying attention or not. All he wanted was to get as far away from Deaton as he possibly could.

He couldn't help but feel as if he had walked into the very den of lions as he crossed the police station threshold. Stilinski was there with all of his men, and if there was one man who might be able to see that something was not right with Alex it might be him. Of course, Alex could take him, but with a station full of men at his command and a pack surrounding him there would be no contest. Thankfully, they were all distracted by the chaos left in Tracy's wake. She was effective, Alex would give her that. She would make a good asset. That is if she survived the process.

Catching sight of Lydia lying on the ground his heart lurched. He whipped off his belt and moved around Stiles. _That is why you don't let anyone close._ He thought to himself as he wrapped the belt around Lydia's waist. _Caring means you slow down and unable to do what needs to be done._ He ignored the fact that that was what in fact he was doing with Lydia while he yanked the belt tight and hoped that it would be enough.

"Do you need me to take over?" He asked Kira, noting her hands were trembling as she pressed on the wound .

She shook her head. "No, I've got her."

"Alright." He said, deciding the best thing he could do was wait and keep an eye on Lydia in worse in case if she got any worse. He could do more but that would not be a part of the plan.

Alex could tell that despite Scott calling Stiles he really didn't want to go.

"It's ok," Alex assured him. "I've got her." A warm feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. This felt good. It felt right protecting the pack while the alpha took care of the threat. The warmth didn't go away, despite him trying to dismiss his thoughts. _It's all just part of the plan._ He refused to listen to the little voice that said that wasn't the only reason.

After the paramedics came and took Lydia away he went with the others to the hospital where they waited around for both news of how Lydia was doing and for Scott and Liam to show. Deaton, to Alex's relief, was offered a ride back by one of the deputies.

When Scott and Liam did show it was the same time as Mrs. McCall coming to update them on Lydia.

Her, "Theo, good job on that tourniquet, it probably saved her life", threw Alex and he didn't know how to react. He was unable to stop his heart from lurching and his eyes widening in surprise. People didn't behave that way, at least, not the ones he was used to. They expected him to perform as needed and when he did they accepted it as their due and moved on. Why couldn't she act like normal people instead of confusing him? Whatever the reason, that same strange, warm feeling, spread to his heart, and it beat in a rhythm he had never felt before. Alex raised his hand to his chest and absentmindedly rubbed his chest, face slightly scrunched in confusion before catching himself and smoothing out his features while lowering his hand. Thankfully, the were-shifters were all too preoccupied to notice his actions, though Alex saw that Stiles was giving him a strange look. Fearing he had given too much away he tried to ignore Stiles and focus instead on what the others were doing. Thankfully, he didn't have to be involved in what came next and he could go home.

Quietly letting himself into the house he crept up the stairs, glad that he didn't have to deal with his fake parents. With all of the foreign emotions he had been having lately, he didn't want to think of what he would do if they annoyed him too much.

It was amazing that even when there was a homicidal girl attacking the police station last night, this morning went on like normal. School went on, and so did biology. Even if he didn't have time to read the assignment he knew the answer. Guess living with the Dread Doctors was good for something after all. He was just glad when the class ended and the school day ended. For all of his enhanced abilities, he still needed to rest some, especially when he had to go and plant a special little book in Tracy's room.

When he accomplished that he thought he was done for the night, but the Dread Doctors soon killed off that idea. They informed him that he needed to wind Donavan up and set him loose. Of course, that wasn't their exact words. Theirs was a few more clicks and brisk commands, but he could fill in the details well enough on his own. So he did what he did best, talk.

What he told Donovan that the Dread Doctors didn't usually let Alex talk to their chimera's was true, which he often didn't mind. Why bother getting close to someone who was going to die anyway? Despite his wolf clambering for a pack of their own, Alex knew that he and Theo had been an anomaly that had yet to be repeated, and looking at Donovan he could tell that that wouldn't be changing anytime soon.

He didn't really want to sick Donovan on Stiles after all the sarcastic teen was really starting to grow on Alex. However, the Dread Doctors demanded it, and if he wanted to keep breathing then he needed to get it done. It would keep Stiles so focused on what would happen next that he would be blind to other things around him. A smoke screen of guilt, anger, and frustration building up to obscure what was underneath his feet until it was too late. It was the perfect plan, even if Alex had some reservations about it.

But that was getting ahead of himself. For now, he had a Wendigo to unleash. Alex nearly whistled as he looked over the kid's profile. Wow, the kid was a real piece of work, and it was really saying something if he was the one saying that. He knew that he wouldn't score very high on the sane scale himself, but at least he was better at hiding it then this loser. And to think the Dread Doctors wasted their time and resources on this kid was almost laughable.

Alex let his mask settle over himself, becoming the cold, manipulative asshole that was in control of everything around him. For all of the kid's psychotic and cocky personality, he fell easily enough under Alex's spell. _Almost too easy_. Alex thought. All it took was knowing the right buttons to push and the file gave him plenty to work with.

Alex played mind games with Donovan a bit. Listing off his shortcomings, his failure as a normal human being, and his inability to go after his dream of being a policeman. Really attacking the kid at his weakness, his insecurities. All the while Alex kept his voice calm and in control, though sometimes playful. But the whole time he was doing this he kept asking himself _, why were people so easy to manipulate?_

Alex changed the tone of his approach to a more sympathetic note. Now that all the kid could think about his insecurities and weaknesses it was time to give him the lure to hook him. He had no fear in approaching Donovan, even cranked the kid's seat up so that he could be more comfortable and at ease. The lure was in place, now all it took was to set it in place.

Power. The sweet siren call for those who didn't have it. Powerlessness was Donovan's weakness, and that was Alex's weapon. But he couldn't wield it like a club, instead had to be handled with finesse. Like a surgeon in a delicate operation. You couldn't hack your way in mindlessly. It took skill, luck, and a delicate hand to handle such a delicate operation. Alex had years of practice luring in teens for the Dread Doctors.

The kid was softened up, and now for the finishing touch. "Real power. Enhanced strength, speed, and an ability to heal yourself. So what do you do with power like that?" You go after those who kept you from being in control of your life. Who kept you from getting your own power. Who kept you from getting the one thing in life that you really wanted.

"With this power, you probably want to go after Stilinski right now." Alex didn't wait for Donovan's agreement. "But see, even if you hurt him physically. Go and break his legs, burn his house down. Heck, pull out his teeth one by one, but that is the thing about physical pain. The body can handle so much and manage it. But emotional pain, that is something else entirely. If you want to cause Stilinski devastating, soul-crushing pain, you don't go after him." Alex leaned over and knew he had Donovan hooked when the kid could not look away from his eyes. "You go after someone he loves. That is true pain. One that will last him for the rest of his life.

 **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! (But please be kind when you do)**


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